Custom Painting and Detailing Services?


diburning

diburning

AlcoHaulic
Does anyone know of any good custom painting and detailing services?

I have a few projects in mind, but I'm not confident enough in my modeling abilities to get what I want. Since these are rather expensive models and projects, I want them to be the best.

Here's my list of preferences:

1. Must have GOOD photos/examples of their work.
2. Must be able to do custom lighting such as ditch lights
3. Must be in the US (shipping out of country can cost quite a bit)
4. I would prefer someone who is able to kitbash or scratchbuild detail parts that are not made commercially.
 
diburning said:
Does anyone know of any good custom painting and detailing services?

I have a few projects in mind, but I'm not confident enough in my modeling abilities to get what I want. Since these are rather expensive models and projects, I want them to be the best.

Here's my list of preferences:

1. Must have GOOD photos/examples of their work.
2. Must be able to do custom lighting such as ditch lights
3. Must be in the US (shipping out of country can cost quite a bit)
4. I would prefer someone who is able to kitbash or scratchbuild detail parts that are not made commercially.
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There are very few folks who do this sort of work. It sounds to me like you need a guy who can do light machining, as well as paint and handle electronics. I know one or two besides myself who are capable of this, but you're talking big bucks. One fellow in California charges $35.00 an hour for detail-electronic and mechanism work, for as long as it takes. I have done similar projects, the last one was worth over $600.00 in painting and detailing work, and took nearly a year. (I still have a day job :D) Note, I am not offering my services, just letting you know you are basically commissioning a unique piece, and the guys who can do this don't come cheap!
 
Eric;

I used to do this kind of work, and as Alan said, it ain't cheap. In fact doing work like that almost drove me out of the hobby. When I left Mobile to move to my current home, I had to return several brass locos that I hadn't gotten to. (We were in an apt. for over 2 years.) I sold off my jewelers lathe and tools for it cause I was tired of the time it took to do the work.

I now do even very little in the way of custom painting, (old friends and certain other clients). Several guys I know that did this type of work no longer do it because they said it took to much time away from their hobby time.

Chances are the few that do this work probably charge a lot more than the $35 per hour that Alan is talking about.

Alan, I was talking to Fiore last month and I found out the last loco that he had done cost him over $200 an hour, and that didn't include painting!
 
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I can believe it, but Joe has things done like installing bearings in the side rods on his O scale steamers, and other such things. He has custom machine work done on all of his stuff, so I can see 200 bucks an hour. He asked me once about doing some things and when he described what he wanted I nearly ran screaming from the room! OTOH, let's not scare Eric to death ;) I too have ramped down the painting and detailing business Two or three long time customers and a few friends, as you have done. it just takes too much time to do it right, and all my best work goes to someone else's house! :mad:
:D:D
 
I'm totally shocked at the hourly rates quoted above ! I guess even more so, I'm shocked that there are people that actually PAY those kind of rates !!!

Guess I'm living in the wrong area!


Mark.
 
Mark R. said:
I'm totally shocked at the hourly rates quoted above ! I guess even more so, I'm shocked that there are people that actually PAY those kind of rates !!!

Guess I'm living in the wrong area!


Mark.
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Mark, it depends more on what you're doing, and what you think you're time is worth, and most importantly, what others think of your work. I'm talking about museum quality work, and I do 99% of my work on brass models, mostly steam. I turn away work routinely, because I have a limited amount of time to devote to it. Even at $35.00 an hour when you're doing museum quality work, you often find out at the end of a job that you might have not made the profit you hoped for. As with anything else, if you're one of the best at what you do, people will pay for your work.
 
UPBigBoy said:
Well you beat me by .5 of a point, I can do custom detailing as long as mill work isn't involved - so I guess I'm at 2.5 out of 4 :D
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I don't have anything that needs mill work.

If anyone here reading this does this sort of work, I have a friend who is looking for a ditch light installer for his Conrail fleet :D

I know a few places that will fulfill most of the criteria that I desire, and don't charge by the hour. Unfortunately, they're either too busy or don't want my business.

Throughbred Railroad Models is a group of modelers that do AMAZING detailing jobs, but they don't do flashing ditch lights.

Southern Tier Modelworks does very good detailing and paint jobs, but the guy who runs the operation still uses DC and won't do any custom lighting. He also refuses to work on Athearn locomotives.

Delano Mountain Custom Models doesn't want my business. I don't know if he's busy or if he isn't looking for new customers or something, but I sent him a few proposals and he gave me a 2-word response "not interested" Well, if he doesn't want my business, I'll have to try someone else. (the proposals were simple strip and paints)

METCAPS (Jerome aka wheeler1963 here) does amazing work. He's also known as the switcher guy. He was going to be my paint guy, but he's taking a break from doing other people's projects to work on his own. He built and painted a model of the P&W 150 for me.
 
I was hoping to find someone to repaint/ repair paint on some engines. However, with prices like that, I may either just not do it or work on my own poor skills in that department.
 
Mark R. said:
Guess three out of four ain't gonna cut it ....


Mark.
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If all else fails, I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and send engines to Canada...

Do you know if they'll charge taxes if sent across the border? I've never received anything from Canada although I have sent stuff up there before. (I know not to use UPS :rolleyes:)
 
diburning said:
If all else fails, I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and send engines to Canada...

Do you know if they'll charge taxes if sent across the border? I've never received anything from Canada although I have sent stuff up there before. (I know not to use UPS :rolleyes:)
Click to expand...

Eric .... Sent you a PM.


Mark.
 
I need to know something, what are realistic prices to charge for custom painting?

Diesel Loco?
Caboose?
Rolling stock?

I'de like to start offering painting but dont know what to charge?
 
That really depends on how much you value your time.

It REALLY helps to have plenty of clear photos of your work. Your photos will sell your service.

Even with good photos, personally, I would send the person doing the service a small project first, just to see how it turns out before committing to paying them to build me a whole fleet :D (I've been burned that way before. I sent a small fleet of brand new locos to a friend to detail up.... they came back broken!)
 
What I charge for paint jobs depends on what in involved with the work and how quickly they want the engine/car back. If they want it in a week, i am going to charge a lot more than if I have a month to work on it. I work 40+ hours a week and am usually busy on weekends so my evenings are when I do most of my model railroading work.
 
Ok so if someoen came to you with a SD70M undecorated and said I want this painted in a two tone green and black scheme. And just add the factory detail parts. What would you charge if you had a month to do it? This is all hypothetical btw.
 
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